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Saturday, 10 December 2011

the programmatic functions are sandwiched by two folding skins of opposite natures delineating the two different urban characters beyond the site.a re-construction of the luk hoi tong building which was well-known as a by-gone cinematic landmark in central hong kong for fifty years,

this new establishment, named the LHT tower is comprised of 29 stores, offering 11,000 square metres of office spaceand 3000 square metres of podium, retail and restaurant areas. the re-development of the building was conceived by hong kong-based studiorocco design architects and is situated at a prominent corner of the queen's road central and pedestrian theatre lane in the bustling city.

the angled arrangement of mullions on the street elevation creates a forced perspective that further exaggerates the folding of the curtain wall

the design draws on the surrounding site and its special theatrical history. challenging the standard tower-and-podiumsingle building development approach, without sacrificing the commercial value of retail floors, the structure features adynamic folding façade system on the eastern elongated side of the building that wraps the podium and tower in a formal continuum.to the west, the ribbed projection, together with the roof component forms the extension of the adjoining wall.the programme functions are sandwiched by these two folding skins of opposing natures, delineating the two different urbancharacters flanking the site.

the curtain wall extends downwards to wrap the podium in a formal continuum

the tower presents itself as an urban landmark that demarcates the start of a series of old attached buildingswith narrow street frontage down the queen's road central to the west, and the freestanding contemporary office buildings to the east.responding to the busy foot traffic along the theatre lane, the escalator zones at the retail floors are strategically placednext to the twisting glass skin to form an animated and engaging façade, offsetting the undesirable blank walldrop of thepedestrianized lane in the past owing to the function of the former cinema building. the non-linear folding of the exterior skingives an impression of stage curtain, opening to reveal the office and retail spaces within, creating a subtle reference to theiconic queen's theatre that previously occupied the site.

vista to the folding skin from the adjacent alley

vista from the pedestrianized theatre lane

a façade that engages the movement of users and the passing foot traffic of the theatre lane

a façade that engages the movement of users and the passing foot traffic of the theatre lane

a link bridge over the foyer bisecting the escalator zone and the main lift lobby on first floorthe strategic planning of podium circulation to form an animated façadesite plan

amadeo bennetta + daniel larossa of berkeley, california have submitted the winning professional proposal for 'school 4 burma', along with student submission by ms. gauri satam and mr. tejesh patil of sir j.j. college of architecture, mumbai, india foran international design competition held by building trust international. a prefabricated framework enclosed with heavy-dutywaterproof fabric may be flat-packed and easily shipped on a truck. the components may be assembled on site in a flexible manner to accommodate the needs of the school and clad with bamboo panels to enclose the units. the scheme is adaptable to thevaried site conditions and led to the proposals selection. the project will begin construction next year.

the student submission creates separate classroom entities creating an undisturbed learning environment within a humanly scaled space. the modular 8 foot spaces are formed with local materials and constructed with conventional building techniques to fabricate easily with reduced costs. shaded courts and verandas utilize passive solar strategies to contribute to a climate responsive building.

'thermal park in dolores', an environmental intervention proposal for the town of dolores, within the buenos aires province of argentina by mexican practice productora integrates indoor and outdoor activities with a series of canals and walkways. a square grid incorporates classical landscape design elements including a symmetrical axis, labyrinths and follies within a complex of buildings. the aquatic park attempts to create a new relationship between buildings and the surrounding grounds by allowing bicyclists and boaters to traverse the site.

arcades of columns define the perimeters of the simple rectilinear volumes creating shaded open air verandas and porches.the interior spaces of the structures overlook the vegetated areas which have been sectioned by waterways and pedestrian paths. small scale bridges are placed at the intersections of ground and water.

outdoor veranda overlooking canals

shaded porches transition between interior and exterior spaces

aerial view of the complex

aerial view of the complex

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 0

section

section

section

elevation

elevation

elevation

elevation

axonometric of a portion of the siteblack: watergrey: pedestrian pathswhite: interior of buildings

axonometric of a portion of the siteblack: watergrey: pedestrian pathswhite: interior of buildings

axonometric of a portion of the siteblack: watergrey: pedestrian pathswhite: interior of buildings

dutch firm moederscheimmoonen architects has completed the design for a multi-purpose sports facility in houten, the netherlands.the building will be used by local sports clubs for activities including hockey, baseball and handball.outside of physical recreation, the property will also be used for educational purposes and as a social meeting point for the community.

the double layered structure is surrounded by various sports fields. the sloping grass banks hide the ground floor while allowingdirect access to the level above. the entrance below the ground leads to the dressing rooms and storage areas. the main floor,accessible from the surrounding terraces, houses the the canteen and multifunctional areas. the modern,minimalistic materials chosen contrast with the natural surrounding. the clean lines of the wood and glass allow the sports fieldsand vegetation to play an important role in the overall design.